The Transformers: Eternity's Daughter Part 1
by jasonstoneface
Summary: Arcee is having recurring nightmares of a threat worse than the Decepticons. Also, an old Autobot shuttle is discovered in Space. What does it all mean?


Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, okay?  
  
Author's Note: This story was originally written by ZacWilliam at the Lexicon website with tiny tweaks. Nothing significant. Zac, if you read this, I tried to contact you, but I couldn't. If you wish me to remove this story, just e-mail me and I'll do so.  
  
ETERNITY'S DAUGHTER-PART 1  
  
(We see a swarm of insect-shaped creatures flying or landing on the ground. They are not clearly visible since we only see them as shadows. As they perform various methods of attack, we hear screams of pain. While all this is going on, the sky seems to be red. We see Arcee trying to shoot them, but her gun has no effect. She screams as she's struck in the side and then in the back. We see a shadow of a creature hovering above, ready to deliver the final blow, when we hear a female voice.)  
  
VOICE: (pleading) Help, please!  
  
(We see Arcee wake up. It was apparently a dream. She takes a few breaths and starts shaking in fear.)  
  
A/A  
  
(We see an Autobot shuttle floating in space. We then switch inside to see Technobot Lightspeed looking out at the stars.)  
  
LIGHTSPEED: It's beautiful, isn't it?  
  
(We switch to another Technobot, Afterburner, sitting at a console.)  
  
AFTERBURNER: Huh! It's boring's, what it is. I hate deep recon duty! I mean, sure, somebody has to scan the Outer Quadrants to make sure the Decepticons aren't cooking up any trouble when we least expect it, but that doesn't mean it has to be us! (He looks down at the radar screen) It's so dull out here, even the radar blips are in a coma.  
  
LIGHTSPEED: (Turning to face him) What do you mean?  
  
AFTERBURNER: Eh, it's probably nothing. Probably just some sort of glitch in the sensor net. It's been picking up a static blip, but the thing hasn't moved in five cycles. Nothing in space is that still. It HAS to be a glitch.  
  
LIGHTSPEED: Let me check it out.  
  
(He goes over to another computer and sits down.)  
  
LIGHTSPEED: I'm gonna take a closer look and do a complete scan. You never know, it might be something interesting. Besides, now's as good a time as any to try out our newly upgraded equipment.  
  
AFTERBURNER: Interesting? Out here? (Under his breath, sarcastically) And I'm Unicron's uncle.  
  
LIGHTSPEED: (Sarcastically, with a smirk, looking over his shoulder) What lovely family reunions you must have.  
  
(Lightspeed begins working. A few moments later . . .)  
  
LIGHTSPEED: (Looking over his shoulder) Hey, come look at this and tell me I'm not seeing things.  
  
(Afterburner approaches him from behind. He looks at the screen, just as surprised as his friend.)  
  
AFTERBURNER: (Now interested) Is that what I think it is?  
  
LIGHTSPEED: I think so.  
  
(Lightspeed hits a button. We see the computer screen light up and we see an old, worn-out shuttle.)  
  
AFTERBURNER: Weird. How's it staying so still? We'd read the power signature if there were any engines active.  
  
LIGHTSPEED: I don't know. There is some sort of energy field in the area, though. The computer analysis should be just about done.  
  
(On another screen, green letters appear on the screen. We don't see this, but we know because we can see something reflecting off the two Technobots. Their eyes widen with shock and their jaws drop. Lightspeed spins in his chair.)  
  
LIGHTSPEED: Get on the comm. system now! Tell them to get Optimus Prime!  
  
A/A  
  
(We see Arcee speeding through Iacon in car mode. She approaches some others who are in her way, transforms, and leaps over them. They watch with eyes wide. She runs into a building. We then see Sludge and Snarl slowly lumbering in the hallway in their dinosaur modes. Arcee doesn't even stop and pushes her way past them.)  
  
ARCEE: (As she runs through them) Out of my way, boys!  
  
(She keeps running. Her push actually pushed them to the side!)  
  
SNARL: (Rubbing nose with pay) Her sure am strong for girl-bot.  
  
SLUDGE: Me Sludge say be quiet or her might come back.  
  
(We then switch to see Arcee burst through a door without knocking. Once she enters, she stops dead in her tracks. We then see Optimus Prime, Powerglide, Inferno, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe sitting at a table. They look up at Arcee.)  
  
ARCEE: (Nervously) You, um, . . . wanted to see me, sir?  
  
OPTIMUS PRIME: Yes. Sit down, Arcee.  
  
(She does so. She still looks nervous.)  
  
OPTIMUS: If you don't mind, we need to ask you some questions. About your earliest memories.  
  
ARCEE: (Looking confused) Why? I reported everything I remember years ago. It should all be in the records . . .  
  
OPTIMUS: (Interrupting, insistently) Please, Arcee. Just tell us the first things you remember.  
  
ARCEE: There's not much to tell. The first thing I remember, the others, . . . the other female Autobots were there. We were under attack by some Decepticons, but we escaped. It's all kinda jumbled. I stayed with them for about a week I think as they planned for some big mission. They told me I couldn't come, that I should watch the base until they returned. If they didn't come back after another week, I was to try and get into Shockwave's control center and use the Space Bridge to join you on Earth. They never returned. I tried to get to the Space Bridge, but I was captured by some of Shockwave's Sentinels. The next thing I remember was being in a prison cell. A few days later, Hot Rod, Springer, and Kup freed me. About a year or so later, we finally made it to Earth and joined the Autobots already there. That was over twenty Earth years ago.  
  
OPTIMUS: That's EVERYTHING you can remember? No other details that strike you as important.  
  
ARCEE: No. Nothing.  
  
OPTIMUS: And this mysterious mission. It was here on Cybertron?  
  
ARCEE: As far as I know, yes. Why?  
  
(Prime stands up and walks toward the window looking out over the Cybertron city of Iacon.)  
  
OPTIMUS: Yesterday, one of our patrols discovered an old Autobot shuttle caught in a strange energy field. Frozen in time.  
  
(He then turns back to Arcee and the others.)  
  
OPTIMUS: Further analysis matched the energy pattern to a secret Autobot time-stop device . . . held within Elita-1.  
  
(Arcee's jaw drops and her eyes widen with shock.)  
  
ARCEE: (In disbelief) You . . . you mean you . . . found them?  
  
(Arcee covers her mouth, trying to stifle a sound. Optimus nods.)  
  
OPTIMUS: Yes. We've found them at last. And it's time to bring them home.  
  
(Arcee expression is one of shock and surprise.)  
  
A/A  
  
(We see Arcee standing on a balcony, looking out over Iacon. As she looks up at the stars, she sighs and walks into her room. Once inside, she walks to a chair and sits down. A panel opens on the left armrest and she pulls out a cable. She opens a panel on her chest where her Autobot logo is. She plugs the cable into herself, goes into stasis lock, and starts regenerating. Another dream sequence begins. It is the same as the one seen at the beginning of the episode. Only this time, near the end, we see Arcee lying helplessly on the ground. We learn that the bright red sky we saw before is that way because flames of the sun are heading her way! She screams as we see a shadow of her being melted down. We then hear the same female voice that we heard before.)  
  
VOICE: (Pleading) Help us, please!  
  
(Commercial)  
  
(We see an Autobot shuttle floating in space. We go inside to see Arcee staring out at the frozen shuttle that Lightspeed and Afterburner discovered. She then looks over her shoulder where the others are. Powerglide, Inferno, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe are manning the stations, seriousness and anxiousness written all over their faces. Prime is in the command chair, deep in thought. He looks up as Perceptor approaches him, holding a data pad.)  
  
PERCEPTOR: The new scans we've just completed have confirmed that this is indeed the same energy signal recorded from Elita-1's time-stop ability the single time it was used. But it is being transmitted at a much higher energy band. This distortion ends approximately 123 yards in front of the shuttle.  
  
(Arcee then fully turns to face the others, a questioning expression on her face.)  
  
ARCEE: But . . . if time is frozen out there, . . . how come we can see them? Shouldn't the photons from our lights freeze as well?  
  
PERCEPTOR: Actually, no. The nature of the chronal distortion is such that various random photons and other . . .  
  
OPTIMUS: (Interrupting) The time distortion doesn't originate on the shuttle, then?  
  
(Perceptor hesitates a second before continuing.)  
  
PERCEPTOR: No. The ship, in face, lies on the very outskirts of the field. Were it to be at the epicenter of a chronal-field with this high an energy band reading, we would be caught as quickly as they are. Not coincidentally, our maps show a small planetary system known as "Dia" at approximately the same location.  
  
(Optimus nods, not looking up. Arcee just stares at him, not knowing what to say or do. Neither Prime nor Perceptor notice. Prime then looks up at Perceptor.)  
  
OPTIMUS: How can we penetrate the field?  
  
PERCEPTOR: Well, the actual science behind the time-stop device is, unfortunately, beyond my level of . . .  
  
OPTIMUS: (Interrupting, like an order) We have to reach them.  
  
PERCEPTOR: A course of action that is easier said than . . .  
  
OPTIMUS: (Interrupting again, angrily as his slams his right fist on the armrest) There HAS to be a way! We haven't come this far to be stopped now!  
  
(Both Perceptor and Arcee look startled. We see the others wince at Prime's anger, but they continue to work. Optimus then bows his head in shame. Arcee looks tempted to go over to Optimus Prime, but decides against it. She looks scared, intimidated, by him.)  
  
OPTIMUS: (Ashamedly) Perceptor, . . . I'm sorry.  
  
PERCEPTOR: (Hesitantly) There . . . is a possibility, that by analyzing the field frequency, I may be able to create a device capable of putting out a counter-frequency. But . . .  
  
OPTIMUS: (Interrupting, getting up from his chair and waving his hand, indicating he's not really listening anymore) Fine. Ready the devices.  
  
(Optimus walks out of the room.)  
  
A/A  
  
(We see Arcee sitting alone in another room, sipping a glass of energon.)  
  
ARCEE: Elita must mean a lot to Prime for him to be this distraught. But what about me? What does she, what do any of them mean to me? I only knew them for a week and I can barely remember that! Why am I so nervous? The others . . . are they really like me? Am I really even one of them at all?  
  
(Arcee's glass starts shaking in her hand. Realizing this, she puts it down on a table next to her. She looks out at the stars and sighs.)  
  
(Commercial)  
  
(We see the two shuttles in space. A boarding tube slides from one to the other, the same way the Decepticons broke into the Ark in "More Than Meets the Eye." We see Optimus approach the end and push the makeshift doorway out. Once it's free, he steps through, followed by Arcee, Perceptor, Inferno, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Powerglide. Each of them has a silver disc attached to their chests. They walk through the old shuttle, gazing at their surroundings, until they approach a sealed door. Prime attempts to open it, but is having a hard time due to time being frozen.)  
  
OPTIMUS: Help me get this open.  
  
(The others accept Arcee and Perceptor do so. It takes a minute, but they finally manage to get it open. They walk into the darkened room, glancing around.)  
  
POWERGLIDE: (Whispering) Like Medusa's garden.  
  
(They then walk in further and see five bodies frozen in time. Inferno, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Powerglide all gasp and approach certain ones.)  
  
INFERNO: Firestar!  
  
POWERGLIDE: Moonracer!  
  
(Perceptor and Arcee stay right where they are and watch. Prime slowly approaches the command chair. Instead of seeing Elita-1, he sees Chromia instead. She looks like she is about to leap out of the chair.)  
  
OPTIMUS: When Perceptor said the field was not centered here, I knew it wouldn't be her. But I still hoped. I will find you Elita. We are close now.  
  
INFERNO: (Holding one of Firestar's hands with both of his) Prime, we gotta do somethin'.  
  
PERCEPTOR: (Handing out the same devices the others are wearing) Here. Attach one of these to each of the female Autobots as you did to your own chests. They should regain chronal stability.  
  
SIDESWIPE: (Smirking) Well, it ain't exactly corsage, but anything would look good on Merrina.  
  
(A disk is attached to each female Autobot. Once done, each of them become almost instantly mobile. They start mumbling various questions, trying to figure out what's going on.)  
  
FIRESTAR: Inferno? How . . .?  
  
MOONRACER: Powerglide! I don't believe it!  
  
(The femmes continue to mumble.)  
  
CHROMIA: Would you all please quiet down for a second? (Looks at Optimus) We were all caught in the time stop, weren't we, Prime? So how long has it been?  
  
PERCEPTOR: Over two Earth decades.  
  
CHROMIA: That long, huh? (She then smirks) Figures. But I knew if anything happened, ol' Ironhide would get around to rounding us up sooner or later. Where is the old warhorse? I want to thank his rusty . . .  
  
(She stops when she sees Perceptor's expression. She then turns to Optimus.)  
  
CHROMIA: (Shakily) Prime?  
  
(He closes his eyes and shakes his head. She turns away, clearly heart- broken, if that were possible. Arcee looks like she wants to try and console her, but the other femmes beat her to the punch. Seeing this, Arcee shakes her head sadly. She leaves unnoticed.)  
  
A/A  
  
(We see Arcee sitting alone in her quarters. The chime on her door rings.)  
  
ARCEE: Come in.  
  
(The door opens and Moonracer steps in, smiling. Arcee stands up.)  
  
ARCEE: (Nervously) H . . . hello.  
  
MOONRACER: (Stepping forward, smiling) It's good to see you again. You left early. We wanted to talk to you, ya know.  
  
(Arcee turns away and picks up a picture of herself, Springer, and other Autobots on Earth.)  
  
ARCEE: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. (Pauses and sighs) I just didn't want to interrupt your reunions.  
  
MOONRACER: (Concerned) Is that all? You seem different, Arcee. But I guess that makes since, huh? It's so strange. For us, it feels as if we just left Cybertron a month ago, but for everyone else, it's been decades! Anyway, you should have stayed. You're one of us.  
  
(Arcee sets the picture down, but still doesn't look at Moonracer. She crosses her arms.)  
  
ARCEE: (Sadly) I don't think that's true. I barely remember any of you. It was an eyeblink. A first few confusing days and then you left me all alone. I'm not the same robot I was then. I'm not one of you.  
  
MOONRACER: Yes you are, Arcee. There are so few of us. Like Elita always said, we have to stick together!  
  
ARCEE: (Angrily, looking over her shoulder) Then why did you leave me behind? (She turns to face her, still angry) Why didn't you take me with you? Do you know what that was like? To be alone like that? To be abandoned? Everyone you've ever known gone? (She then gets into Moonracer's faces and screams, louder than before) WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?  
  
(Moonracer hangs her head in shame.)  
  
MOONRACER: (Regretfully) It was wrong to leave you. I thought so then too. I'm sorry. (Now pleadingly) But it was Elita's orders. We didn't know this would happen.  
  
(Arcee turns away, now calmer, more sad.)  
  
ARCEE: (Quietly) Why? Just . . . why?  
  
MOONRACER: (Sadly) I don't know.  
  
ARCEE: (Over her shoulder, sadly) I'd like to be alone.  
  
(Moonracer turns to leave and stops at the doorway.)  
  
MOONRACER: (Sadly) I'm sorry.  
  
ARCEE: (Sadly) Me too.  
  
(Moonracer leaves.)  
  
A/D  
  
(We are now in another of Arcee's dreams. This time, she is alone, lying on the ground, damaged and at the mercy of one of the bug-like creatures, which is several times larger than her. We now see that it is an eight- legged creature. It is completely black with red outlining its body. It is holding a sword. It screeches as the red flames we saw earlier approach. She screams as we see her face slowly begin to melt. Then the screen goes black.)  
  
To be continued 


End file.
